Automatic regulator for wind-wheels.



Patented Oct. 2, I900.

. H. F. A. BRUNS & F. E. ELDREDGE.

AUTOMATIG BEGULATOR FOR WIND WHEELS.

(Application filed Apr. 30, 1900-) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(' gl 5 M 2 up HIP WW mi I H a H014 l (HJ Patented Oct. 2, I900. H. F.A. BBUNS &. .F. E. ELDRED AUTOMATIC REGULATOR FOR WINOWH (Applicationfiled Apr. 30 1900.

2 Sheats8heet 2.

a" 1mm Q1? 2 HA 1 I I T NITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. A. BRUNS AND FRANOIES E. ELDREDGE, OF WAVERLY, IOWA.

AUTOMATIC REGULATOR FOR WIND-WHEELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,940, dated October2, 1900.

Application filed April 30, 1900.

as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic windmill-regulatorsdesigned for use in connection with a pump-operating rod whereby thewind-wheel is thrown into and out of the wind, according as the Waterpumped into a tank provided for the purpose rises or falls to apredetermined level.

A primary object of the invention is the provision of new and improvedmeans for throwing into operation and releasing the pawls which engagethat portion of the apparatus operated by the pump-rod or a leverconnected therewith for pulling upon or releasing the operating rod orcord leading to the windwheel.

The invention also comprises certain improvements in the details ofconstruction hereinafter to be described, and definitely pointed out inthe claims.

In the accompanying drawings, an embodiment of the invention isdelineated for the purpose of illustration, and when hereinafterreferred to like letters of reference will refer to corresponding partsin the several views.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the improved regulator supported in anyordinary manner upon the framework of a mill. Fig. 2 is a plan Viewshowing the relative positions of the pawls when in and out of operativepositions. Fig. 3 is a side view, and Fig. 4 is an eleva tionillustrating the position the regulator occupies on the framework of themill.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, A designates the frameworkof the mill of the usual construction, and B a cross or brace rod SerialNo. 14,912. (No model.)

tion of the bracket is pivotally mounted a Wheel D, toothed upon itsouter face, as at E. To prevent a too-rapid movement of this wheel, aspring-arm D is secured at the inner end of the shaft upon which thewheel is mounted, and bears at its outer end on the rear face of saidwheel and exerts a proper or desired friction thereon through the mediumof the adjusting-nut D This spring-arm at its lower end is bifu catedand surrounds the vertical portion a of the rearsupportingbracket,thereby preventing any lateral movement of thespring-arm. Formed integrally with the wheel D and projecting rearwardlyv therefrom is a pinion E. This pinion is adapted to mesh with asegmental gear F, to which is attached a projecting portion or lever F,secured. in turn to the operating-rod G, leading from any suitablemechanism in the tower of the wind-wheel designed for throwing the wheelinto and out of the wind. It will thus be seen that as the Wheel D isrotated in the one or other direction a corresponding rotary movementwill be imparted through the medium of the pinion thereon to thesegmental gear and the operating-rod Graised or lowered, as the case maybe. Forwardly of the wheel D is pivotally secured a lever H, connectedat its outer end with a pump-operating rod in the usual manner. Pivotedin ears 77., project ing outwardly from the lever H, iswhat we will termthe actuatingpawl K, the engaging portion of which projects through aslot 76 in the pump-lever and is so shaped as to engage the teeth on thewheel D and cause the wheel to turn in an upward movement of the lever,but will pass over and disengage itself from the teeth of said wheel ina downward movement of the lever. A spring is is interposed between theprojecting portion Z of the actuating-pawl and the pum p-lever and isretained in such position by lugs projecting from such pawl and lover,respectively, into the spring. The forward supporting-bracket has anextended angular portion 0, provided with ears h, similar to the ears7;) before referred to, and in these ears is pivoted what we will termthe retaining-pawl K, the engaging portion of which is adapted toproject through the cut-away portion 10 in the extension 0 and engagethe teeth on the wheel D, so as to retain the same against movement inthe Fig. 2.

direction of the arrow, (to the right,) but will slide over such teethand permit the same to .rotate without interference in the oppositedirection. This retainingpawl has a projecting portion Z similar to theone I on the actuating-pawl, but somewhat larger, and extends outwardlyand over the said portion 1, as will be readily seen from an inspectionof It will he apparent that a reciprocating motion of the pump-operatingrod will give a corresponding movement to the pumplever, and by reasonof the engagement of the actuating-pawl with the teeth of the wheel Dthe same will be turned to the left, and the retaining-pawl willnormally retain the wheel from any baclnvard rotation.

It is desirable that suitable means be provided for releasing theactuating and retaining pawls simultaneously and for locking the same insuch released positions, and this means will now he described.

Suitably mounted in cars on, projecting forwardly from the frontsumJorting-bracket C and capable of a pivoted up-and-down movement, is alever M, connected at its outer end to a rod leading from a float in theusual manner and provided at its inner lower edge with a lug or stop in,provided to limit the movement of the lever in a downward direction. Onthe upper portion of this lever is provided a cam-shaped projection N,adapted to engage the projecting portion 1 of the re raining-pawl andwhen elevated force the same inward against the corresponding projectingportion Z of the actuating-pawl, and thereby release the same fromengagement with the teeth of the wheel D. At the limit. of the inwardmovement of these projecting portions of the pawls a gravity-catch O,pivoted at o to the forward bracket 0, engages the edge of theretaining-pawl and locks the same together with the actuating-pawl inreleased positions. The forward under edge of this gravity-catch isinclined at 0, Fig. 3, and is adapted to be engaged by the pin 0projecting. beneath the same from the side of the projection N on thelever M, and be raised thereby when said leverM is lowered, whereby therespective pawls are again thrown into operative position, theretainingpawl being provided with a spring similar to that it of theactuating-pawl.

While a certain construction has been described for carryingourinvention into practical effect, it will be readily appreciated thatmany details in the construction and operation of the individual partsmay be changed without departing from the nature and spirit of theinvention, and that with such understanding the operation of theregulator may be described as follows: When the water in the tank hasfallen beyond a desired level, the lever M is raised and the pawlswithdrawn from engagement with the teeth of the wheel D, when the wheelwill be free to turn and the operating-rod leading to the mill will bepermitted to rise with the segment, thereby throwing the wheel into thewind and the pump-actuating rod operated. On the other hand, when thewater in the tank rises to a predetermined level the lever M will drop,thereby releasing the gravitycatch and permitting the pawls to againengage the teeth of the wheel D, and through the action of the pump rodand lever the segment will be turned so as to lower its end connectedwith the operating-rod, and the wheel will be thereby thrown out of thewind and the operation of the pump-rod temporarily stopped.

The pump-rod P is connected to the lever H by means of the button P. Thebutton is applied to the lever before it is bolted to the pump-rod byfirst inserting the head through the slot in the lever and turning thesame into a vertical plane.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic windmill-regulator, the combination with anoperating-rod, of means for controlling the movement thereof comprisinga segment attached to one end thereof, means for operating said segmentcomprising a toothed wheel and actuating and retaining pawls adapted toengage said toothed wheel to rotate the same, and means forsimultaneously withdrawing said pawls from operative position, and meansfor locking said pawls in such withdrawn position.

2. In a windmill-regulator, the combination with an operating-rod, ofmeans for controlling the movement thereof comprising a toothed segment,means adapted to operate said toothed segment comprising pivoted actuating and retaining pawls, means for throwing said pawls out of operativeposition, additional self-actuated means for temporarily locking thepawls in inoperative position, and means for automatically releasing thelooking means, substantially as described.

3. In an automatic windmill-regulator, the combination with anoperating-rod, of means for controlling the movement of said rod,comprising suitable supporting-brackets, a segment pivoted in saidbracket and connected to the operating-rod, a toothed member adapted tomesh with said segment, and

5. In an automatic Windmill-regulator, the combination with anoperating-rod, of mechanism for controlling the movement of said rodcomprising a toothed member, pivoted actuating and retaining pawlsadapted to operate said toothed member, extensions on said pawls beyondtheir pivotal points, springs beneath said extensions adapted tonormally throw the pawls into engagement with the toothed member, meansfor Withdrawing said pawls from such engagement, and means fortemporarily locking said pawls in such withdrawn position, substantiallyas described.

6. In an automatic windmill-regulator, the combination with anoperating-rod, of mechanism for controlling the movement of said rodcomprising a toothed member, pivoted actuating and retaining pawls foroperating said toothed member, a catch for holding said pawls inwithdrawn or inoperative position, and means for forcing said pawls intosuch inoperative position, and for releasing the catch to throw thepawls into operative position, substantially as described.

7. In an automatic windmill-regulator, the combination with anoperating-rod, of mechanism for controlling the movement of said rodcomprising a rotary member, operating means for said rotary memberadapted to be thrown into and out of engagement therewith, a lock forholding said operating means in inoperative position, and means for bothforcing said operating means for the rotary member into inoperativeposition, and for subsequently releasing the look from engagementtherewith, substantially as described.

8. In an automatic Windmill-regulator, the combination with anoperating-rod, of mech anism for controlling the movement of said rodcomprising a toothed member, pawls in engagement with said member andadapted to operate the same, extensions on said pawls, a catch adaptedto engage said extensions to hold the pawls in withdrawn position, acamlever adapted to force the pawls into withdrawn position, and aprojection on said lever adapted to engage the catch to release thesame, substantially as described.

9. In an automatic windmill-regulator, the

combination with an operating-rod, of mechanism for controlling themovement of said rod, comprising a toothed member, a springarm inengagement with said toothed member to limit the freedom of movementthereof, adjusting means for said spring-arm, means for preventinglateral movement of said arm,

and means for operating said rotary member, substantially as described.

10. In an automatic windmill-regulator, the combination with anoperating-rod, of mechanism for controlling the movement of said rodcomprising suitable supporting-brackets, a segment pivoted in saidbrackets and connected at one end of said operating-rod, a pinion inengagement with said segment, carrying a rotary toothed member,retaining and actuating pawls for operating said toothed member, andmeans for simultaneously and temporarily withdrawing the pawls fromoperative position, substantially as described.

11. In an automatic windmill-regulator, the combination with anoperating-rod, of mechanism for controlling the movement of said rodcomprising a rotary member in engagement therewith, retaining andactuating pawls for operating said rotary member, a

catch for temporarily holding said pawls in withdrawn or inoperativeposition having an inclined lower edge, a cam-lever for forcing saidpawls into inoperative position, and a projection on said cam-leveradapted to engage the inclined under edge of the catch to release thesame, substantially as described.

12. In an automatic windmill-regulator, the combination with anoperating-rod, of mechanism for controlling the movement of said rodcomprising a rotary member, means for actuating said rotary member, alever for throwing said actuating means into inoperati ve position and astop on said lever adapted to limit the movement thereof, substantiallyas described.

13. In an automatic windmill-regulator, the combination with anoperating-rod, of mechanism for controlling the movement of said rod, asuitable supporting-bracket for such mechanism, and a friction device incontact with a part of such mechanism and adapted to regulate themovement thereof comprising an elongated spring-arm bifurcated at oneend, adjusting means for said arm, and a bar or projection on thesupporting; bracket adapted to engage the bifurcated end of thespring-arm to prevent lateral movement thereof, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof We affix oursignatures in presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY F. A. BRUNS. FRANCIES E. ELDREDGE. Witnesses:

FRED W. BATES, J. Y. HAZLETT.

